New Zealand is moving toward tighter rules for children’s social media use, with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announcing plans to introduce legislation that would ban users under 16 from accessing social media platforms.
The proposed bill would require platforms to take reasonable steps to verify users’ ages. These could include existing account information, facial technology and digital identity documents. Platforms that fail to comply could face fines of up to 10% of their global revenue.
“We simply cannot accept the harm being done to a generation of New Zealand children,” Luxon said.
He said social media exposes children to harmful content, addictive technology and pressures that can affect family life, mental health, sleep and education.
However, the bill may face difficulties in Parliament. New Zealand First, one of Luxon’s coalition partners, has said it will not support the proposal.
“We have been concerned with the proposed legislation and the direction and slippery slope that legislation like this will inevitably take our country,” New Zealand First leader and Foreign Minister Winston Peters said.
Australia became the first country in December to ban social media access for children under 16, covering platforms including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. Peters called that legislation a “colossal failure” and said parents should be responsible for keeping children off social media.
Luxon acknowledged that enforcing the proposed ban would not be easy.
“I won’t pretend that it will be simple or that it will be perfect,” he said. “We won’t get every single child off social media. Some will always find ways around it, but frankly, it’s just way too important not to at least try.”
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